Saturn S-Series
The Saturn S-Series are a family of compact cars from the Saturn automobile company. This was the first series of Saturn vehicles. The automobile platform, the Z-body, was developed entirely in-house at Saturn and shared very little with the rest of the General Motors model line. It implemented a spaceframe design, also seen on some Pontiacs, which meant that the side panels did not carry load and could use plastic pieces instead of metal. These polymer panels were dent-resistant—something that remained a selling point for Saturn until the brand's demise. The S-series was sold from the fall of 1991 through the end of the 2002 model year, with partial redesigns in 1996 & 2000 (sedans) and 1997 & 2001 (coupes). The S-series debuted with SL (“sedan level”) models in 1991 for the 1992 model year, a 2-door sports coupe designated SC joined for the 1992 model year and the SW (“sedan wagon”) joined the lineup for 1993. Taiwan and Japan were the only two Asian countries to import Saturns. From 1992 to 1996, the first- and second-generation sedans plus the first-generation coupes were sold in Taiwan. From 1996 to 2003, the second-generation versions were sold inright-hand drive in Japan, and some Toyota Netz dealerships, and former Isuzu dealerships did offer Saturn products until 2001. The first generation vehicles were not in compliance with Japanese Government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and maximum engine displacement requirements, while the second and third generation sedan and wagon were, however, the coupewas not for all generations. Canada imported all available Saturn models from 1992 onwards. A change partway through the 1999 model year gave the SC a small suicide door on the driver's side. This type of door had previously been used in extended cab pickup trucks, but was an innovation in coupe design. The S-series was replaced by the larger Saturn Ion in 2003, which was unable to match the S-series' sales numbers before the end of its own production at the end of 2007. Coupes and sedans equipped with the base single overhead cam engine and a manual transmission were among the most fuel-efficient cars available in the United States when they were produced, reaching 40 miles per US gallon (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp) in EPA highway tests at the time (this would likely translate to 36 miles per US gallon (6.5 L/100 km; 43 mpg-imp) under current methodologies). 1st Generation SL and SW The first generation SL and SW were constructed from model year 1991 to 1995. The first Saturn to leave the assembly line in the Spring Hill, Tennessee factory was on July 30, 1990, the same day that then-CEO of GM, Roger Bonham Smith, retired. It was maroon with a tan interior. Originally there were two available trim levels. The SL1 trim level featured a SOHC 1.9 LI4 LK0 engine that was rated at 85 hp (63 kW), which was rated at 27 mpg-US(8.7 L/100 km; 32 mpg-imp) city, 37 mpg-US (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg-imp) Highway. The SL2'''trim level featured a DOHC 1.9 L I4 LL0 engine that was rated at 124 hp (92 kW), 24 mpg-US (9.8 L/100 km; 29 mpg-imp) city, 34 mpg-US (6.9 L/100 km; 41 mpg-imp) Highway. 1991–1992 model year Saturns featured the base "SL" available with a manual transmission only, an "SL1", "SL2", and "SC". For model year 1993, the line expanded to include the SW1 and SW2 wagons, which were mechanically identical to their SL1 and SL2 counterparts. All models received an interior redesign for 1995 with a new dashboard and dual airbags. All S-Series cars were offered with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission. The automatic featured a performance setting which gave crisper shifts at a higher RPM, and a setting for traction in which the transmission would stay in 2nd gear from a stop for more controlled take-offs. The Saturn transmissions in the DOHC-equipped vehicles were geared to enhance acceleration, while the SOHC-equipped model transmissions were geared toward economy. The base SL1 engine was upgraded to the 100 hp (70 kW) L24 engine for the 1995 model year. The two base engines were mechanically identical, save for the upgrade from TBI to non-sequential MPFI. The 100HP engine also featured improved fuel economy of 26 mpg-US (9.0 L/100 km; 31 mpg-imp) city, 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp) Highway The S-Series had a 12.8 US gallons (48 L; 11 imp gal) fuel tank, which means that both cars got around 384 miles (618 km) on a single tank based on average of 32 mpg-US (7.4 L/100 km; 38 mpg-imp). Owners of the base model typically report real-world fuel mileage of about 38–41 mpg-US (6.2–5.7 L/100 km; 46–49 mpg-imp) on the highway with the manual transmission. '''SC The first generation SC was made from model year 1991 to 1996. Originally only one trim level, SC, was available, with a DOHC1.9 L I4 LL0 engine that was rated at 124 hp (92 kW). For 1993, the original SC trim level was renamed SC2, and an SC1 trim level was introduced. For 1994, the SC1/SC2 got revised power door locks and a recalibrated automatic transmission. The first generation SC2 received a minor refresh for 1995 in which the lower front bumper, and taillights were redesigned, and the interior got a new dashboard with dual airbags. The SC1 featured an SOHC 1.9 L I4 LK0 engine that rated at 85 hp (63 kW). The SC1 engine was later upgraded to the 100 hp (70 kW) L24 engine for the 1995 model year. The first generation SC1 shared its front fascia with the SL and SW rather than the SC2, and also lacked a trunk lid reflector and a rear stabilizer bar. Category:Saturn Category:Post-war Category:Modern Category:Suicide Door Vehicles